The Dentist Can Be Stressful For Kids, But This Dog Is Changing Their Experiences In An Amazing Way

By Ashley Maisano

Manual SKM medrec

A trip to the dentist can be very nerve-wrecking for everyone, especially kids. One pediatric dentist in central Indiana has come up with a genius idea to make this experience less stressful for children.

Dr. Ana Vazquez was playing with a dog one day when the idea came to mind: have a dog at her office to help calm kids down during their dentist visits.

Enter Pearly, a six-month-old Labradoodle who has been trained to comfort children at the dentist. She now works at Fishers Pediatric Dentistry in Fishers, Indiana.

Fishers Pediatric Dentistry

“We focused a lot on her social skills – so we want her to be very happy going towards kids and going towards them in a very calm and disciplined way,” Jennifer Cattet, dog trainer, told WTHR.

Pearly stays in different parts of the office, either in the doctor’s lounge or the business area, and goes over to the patient when they ask for her.

Pearly has been doing an amazing job with keeping the kid’s calm and easing their nerves. Hopefully dentists all over the country will follow this great idea!

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Growing up, Ashley always had a passion for writing. After receiving her Bachelor's in Journalism from Stony Brook University, she now uses that passion to write about the thing she loves most in this world: animals! When she isn't writing, you can find her curled up on the couch with a kindle in her hands and her Guinea Pigs on her lap.

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